The present invention relates to a cup attaching apparatus for attaching a cup, i.e., a processing jig, to an eyeglass lens which is processed by an eyeglass lens processing apparatus.
As a preliminary-step operation prior to grinding a peripheral edge of an eyeglass lens by an eyeglass lens processing apparatus, a cup (a suction cup, a cup which is fixed with a pressure sensitive adhesive sheet placed in between, or the like), i.e., a processing jig, is attached to an eyeglass lens (subject lens) by means of a cup attaching apparatus, or a so-called aligning apparatus.
In general, a circular cup (a full-eye cup) designed for normal lenses is attached to the lens. The full-eye cup has a circular outer circumferential configuration to secure its fixing force. However, when the lens is processed into a half-eye lens (crab eye lens) or lens for reading glass (granny""s glasses) (which is often used for eyeglasses for the aged) having a narrow vertical length, the use of the circular cup for normal lenses will causes processing interference (interference with an abrasive wheel). To avoid the interference, a cup for a half-eye lens (half-eye cup), whose outer circumferential shape is oval (whose upper and lower portions have been cut away) is used.
The determination as to whether the full-eye cup or the half-eye cup is to be used as the cup to be attached to the lens has been made by an operator upon comparison of a target lens shape (traced outline) of an eyeglass frame, a template (pattern), a dummy lens, or the like with the outer circumferential shape of the cup while taking into consideration the relationship of the layout of the position of the optical center with the target lens shape (traced outline).
However, this determination requires experience, the confirmation operation is troublesome, and it has been difficult for an unskilled operator to attach an appropriate cup. In addition, there is a possibility that in a case where a half-eye cup should be attached, even a skilled operator may attach a full-eye cup by mistake.
Further, in processing centers where lenses are processed in a mass production manner, the attachment of cups is effected through division of labor in many cases. In this case, if confirmation is made on each occasion of the processing step as to whether or not an appropriate cup has been attached, the efficiency is poor. Furthermore, if it is known that the cup was inappropriate only after the processing has been carried out, it can lead to trouble on the lens processing apparatus side.
In view of the above-described drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cup attaching apparatus which makes it possible for even an unskilled operator to easily determine the type of an appropriate cup at the time of attaching the cup, and which makes it possible to prevent the error of attaching an inappropriate cup.
To attain the above-noted object, the present invention provides the following.
A cup attaching apparatus for attaching an appropriate one of cups onto an eyeglass lens, each cup being adapted to fix the eyeglass lens onto a lens rotating shaft of a lens processing apparatus. The cup attaching apparatus comprises cup attaching means for moving a cup to a lens placed at a predetermined position, and attaching the cup onto the lens; detecting means, provided with a measurement optical system having a measurement light source, a measurement index plate and an photoelectric detector, for detecting a position of an optical center of the lens; display means for displaying a positional offset of the lens relative to a predetermined reference position based on a result of detection by the detecting means; data input means for inputting data on a target lens shape or a traced outline and a layout of the lens; a memory for storing data on shapes of plural types of cups; and selecting means for selecting a cup, which will not interfere with an abrasive wheel during processing of the lens, based on inputted data and stored data on the shapes of the cups.
According to another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises display controlling means for controlling the display means to display the result of selection by the selecting means.
According to another aspect of the invention, the display controlling means controls the display means to graphically display a shape of the cup selected.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a cylinder axis angle inputting means is provided for inputting a cylinder axis angle indicated in a prescription, wherein the detecting means further detects a cylinder axis angle of the lens, and wherein the display means displays a guide instruction for rotating at least one of the cup and the lens, based on the inputted cylinder axis angle and the detected cylinder axis angle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the display means superimposes and displays an optical center mark indicative of the detected position of the optical center, a target lens shape mark based on the inputted data, and a cup mark based on the stored data on the shapes of the cups, the cup mark including a mark indicative of a center of the cup.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises lens shape inputting means for inputting an outer circumferential shape of the lens, wherein the display means superimposes and displays a lens mark based on the inputted outer circumferential shape of the lens, a target lens shape mark based on the inputted data, and a cup mark based on the stored data on the shapes of the cups, the lens mark including a mark indicative of the optical center of the lens, and the cup mark including a mark indicative of a center of the cup.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the lens shape inputting means includes imaging means for imaging the lens placed at the predetermined position.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the plural types of the cups includes a circular cup for normal lenses and an oval cup for half-eye lenses.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises cup detecting means for detecting a type of the cup held by the cup attaching means; and inhibiting means for inhibiting the attachment of the cup by the cup attaching means if the result of selection by the selecting means is not identical to a result of detection by the cup detecting means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises cup detecting means for detecting a type of the cup held by the cup attaching means; and notifying means for notifying a fact that the result of selection by the selecting means is not identical to a result of detection by the cup detecting means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises judging means for judging whether or not the detected position of the optical center falls within a predetermined range with respect to the predetermined reference position; cup detecting means for detecting a type of the cup held by the cup attaching means; and instructing means for instructing the cup attaching means to attach the cup if the judging means judges that the detected position of the optical center falls within the predetermined range and the result of selection by the selecting means is identical to a result of detection by the cup detecting means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises transmitting means for transmitting data to the lens processing apparatus. According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises storing means for storing an amount of the positional offset of the lens with respect to the predetermined reference position at the time of cup attachment; and transmitting means for transmitting the stored amount of the positional offset of the lens to the lens processing apparatus.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the predetermined reference position includes a position of a center about which the cup is to be attached.
The invention also provides a cup attaching apparatus for attaching an appropriate one of cups onto an eyeglass lens, each cup being adapted to fix the eyeglass lens onto a lens rotating shaft of a lens processing apparatus, the cup attaching apparatus comprising: cup attaching means for moving a cup to a lens placed at a predetermined position, and attaching the cup onto the lens; detecting means, provided with a measurement optical system having a measurement light source, a measurement index plate and an photoelectric detector, for detecting a position of an optical center of the lens and a direction of a cylinder axis of the lens; data input means for inputting data on a target lens shape or a traced outline and a layout of the lens; a memory for storing data on shapes of plural types of cups; and
display means for relatively displaying a cup mark with respect to an optical center mark and relatively displaying a target lens shape mark with respect to the optical center mark, the cup mark being based on stored data on the shapes of the cups and including a mark indicative of a center of the cup, the optical center mark being indicative of the detected position of the optical center and the target lens shape mark being based on the inputted data.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises selecting means for selecting a cup, which will not interfere with an abrasive wheel during processing of the lens, based on the inputted data and the data on the shapes of the cups.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup mark is displayed by the displaying means based on a result of selection by the selecting means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the selecting means selects a circular cup with priority.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises cylinder axis angle inputting means for inputting an angle of the cylinder axis indicated in a prescription, wherein the display means relatively displays a first axis mark based on the inputted angle of the cylinder axis and a second axis mark based on the detected direction of the cylinder axis with respect to the optical center mark.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises lens shape inputting means for inputting an outer circumferential shape of the lens, wherein the display means relatively displays a lens mark based on the inputted outer circumferential shape of the lens with respect to the optical center mark.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the plural types of the cups includes a circular cup for normal lenses and an oval cup for half-eye lenses.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises cup detecting means for detecting a type of the cup held by the cup attaching means; and inhibiting means for inhibiting the attachment of the cup by the cup attaching means if the result of selection by the selecting means is not identical to a result of detection by the cup detecting means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises cup detecting means for detecting a type of the cup held by the cup attaching means; and notifying means for notifying a fact that the result of selection by the selecting means is not identical to a result of detection by the cup detecting means.
According to still another aspect of the invention, the cup attaching apparatus further comprises judging means for judging whether or not the detected position of the optical center falls within a predetermined range with respect to a position of a center about which the cup is to be attached; cup detecting means for detecting a type of the cup held by the cup attaching means; and instructing means for instructing the cup attaching means to attach the cup if the judging means judges that the detected position of the optical center falls within the predetermined range and the result of selection by the selecting means is identical to a result of detection by the cup detecting means.